Mobile electronic communications devices have evolved beyond simple telephone functionality and are now highly complex multifunctional devices with capabilities rivaling those of desktop or laptop computers. In addition to voice communications, many mobile communications devices are capable of text messaging, e-mail communications, internet access, and the ability to run full-featured application software. Mobile communications devices can use these capabilities to perform online transactions such as banking, stock trading, payments, and other financial activities. Furthermore, mobile communications devices used by an individual, a business, or a government agency often store confidential or private information in forms such as electronic documents, text messages, access codes, passwords, account numbers, e-mail addresses, personal communications, phone numbers, and financial information.
Typically, when a mobile communications device has not been used for a period of time or when it is powered on, it is placed in a locked mode to prevent unauthorized use and to protect the device owner's private information stored on the device. In order to unlock the device, a user typically must enter an unlock password. In most cases, the device's owner creates the password, which is some combination of characters on a keyboard. When a strong, i.e., difficult to guess, password is created, the device and its contents can be better protected from malicious use.
In addition to protecting electronic devices from unauthorized and/or malicious use, passwords also protect user accounts and/or applications provided by cloud-based online services and/or application servers. For example, as noted above, online banking, payments, and financial services are common, and electronic access to those services and accounts are also password protected. Because many of those accounts provide access to private and sensitive information and significant opportunity for malfeasance, strong password protection is highly recommended, if not required.
Creating strong and long passwords for the user's electronic devices and for the user's online accounts enhances user security and prevents others from misappropriating the user's information. These passwords, however, usually take more time to enter, and are usually difficult to enter correctly. Because of this, the user might be tempted to deactivate the locking mode and/or to create a simple, i.e., weak, password—thereby sacrificing security for convenience. This is undesirable.
What is desired, therefore, is a method for automatically performing security features on a user's electronic device based on the detection of the presence of another device, such as a key device.